There are no easy endings
by s.cinnamon
Summary: A straight-up, complete alternative ending to The High Lord. A bit more of the infamous Ichani cruelty. What would happen if Sonea fell into Kariko's hands, and how would Akkarin react? The Epilogue is posted - one year on!
1. Chapter 1

**Love Trudi Canavan and her worlds! However, I felt that considering how often we are told how powerful and how cruel the Ichani are, the ending was a little too easy! My own opinion! Hope you enjoy my alternative ending. The order of the Ichani and Lorlen's deaths are altered. It starts and ends with Trudi.**

****Please note: If you read this fic and enjoy, you may not want to read the epilogue until after you have read my second fic ( up to and including chapter 11) 'There are no easy beginnings'; then read the epilogue of this fic, then read the epilogue of the second fic - confusing I know, and not necessary unless you want extra suspense in the second fic.**

**Chapter one.**

Sonea silently followed Faren as he led the way back to the agreed meeting place, a smugglers den under the Inner Circle. She glanced up at the empty windows and open doors of the Inner Circle houses. They stood like silent witnesses to the invasion of the Ichani; eyes unblinkingly staring, and mouths open in shock and despair.

They approached the place where they would descend onto the, now partially destroyed, Thieves Road . Sonea chewed her lip and reflected on the events of the last few days.

Eight Ichani had entered Imardin, and now only three remained, including Kariko. She couldn't help but let a faint smile of satisfaction and hope touch her lips . What days before had seemed like a hopeless situation, now did not seem so impossible. It was true that they had certainly had to be inventive in the methods in which they had dispatched the Sachakans, but more than half were now dead, and she and Akkarin were still alive.

The Guild had managed to kill one Ichani, and Richaka's demise had been brought about by a poisoning trick of Faren's. A grim smile now touched Sonea's lips as she recalled the novice who had offered himself as bait in the poison trap – Regin, the tormentor of her novice days. Maybe war brought out the better qualities of some people, she mused. Then she and Akkarin, with the help of a dwell woman, had located and ended the life of Inijaka with the healing trick she had used on Parika. The female Ichani, Avala, had been reported wondering the passages under the city and Akkarin had killed her. She had carried a blood gem and had seen Akkarin before she died. Sonea frowned; they now suspected that Kariko knew of the former High Lord's presence in the city.

Finally, this latest Ichani had been killed by dwell acquaintances of Faren and Cerys', who had led him into a trap and skewered him with spears. Sonea's frown deepened and she wondered what the King and the Houses would think of such bravery and resourcefulness, and, whether would they care about the destruction that had occurred in the Slums at the moment of the Ichani's death. The rich and the powerful had fled the city leaving the Dwells to face death or enslavement. But the poorest people of Imardin had shown their worth; even Akkarin had been surprised by their determination.

Akkarin... It had been at least an hour since he had hurried away from their box filled hideout saying there was something he must do. Something to do with Lorlen. He had told her to find the Ichani with the slaves that the scouts had brought news of, and wait for him, not knowing of Cery's plans. She had been annoyed and hurt at his secretiveness and evasion. Sonea glanced at the blood ring on her finger and realised that Akkarin would now sense these emotions in her.

"_Sometimes, hearing and knowing exactly how another person regards you can be an unpleasant experience. It can end friendships, turn love to resentment..."_

She sighed and touched the ring, beginning to realise what he meant.

A shuddering boom followed by an ear-splitting crack shocked Sonea out of her reverie. In front of her, Faren threw himself forwards as brick and stone work began to shower down from above them, clouding the air with dust. Sonea's shield sprang into life about her, her dark eyes narrowed as she searched for Faren through the debris filled air beyond her shield.

She let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding as she saw a figure emerge from the dust cloud. Faren was alive .She let her shield drop as the debris settled. Sonea straightened from her crouched position. Immediately she was thrown backwards by a powerful strike. Pain blossomed in her body and radiated outwards until it reached her fingertips. Gasping she raised her head. Not Faren; an Ichani.

Sonea felt bile rise in her throat and her mouth went dry as he threw another strike which sent her skidding across the uneven masonry, grit and stones scrapping at her skin.

_ _Sonea, shield!_

Akkarin's mental voice reverberated in her head, the fear and panic in it matching her own. It snapped her into action and she threw up a strong shield. The man advanced on her, the still murky air eerily absorbing the flashes of light that exploded from the Ichani at a frightening rate, battering her shield. Sonea responded with a barrage of strikes that curved through the air attacking his shield from all angles. He continued towards her until their shields were only a finger breadth apart, buzzing in resistance in the thick air.

__Sonea, try to use healing! Stop his heart!_

__I cannot lower my shield, his strikes are too _strong_!_ She frantically sent back to him.

__Hold on. I'm coming to find you. _Akkarin responded.

* * *

><p>Akkarin burst into the box filled room that was the smugglers' den. The room's occupants stared at him. A couple of Cery's men went back to talking in hushed whispers. Regin's eyes glittered with interest, and Takan approached Akkarin from where he'd been keeping his pacing vigil.<p>

"Master!" he exclaimed in relief. Akkarin strode past him towards Cery, his face shadowed under the hood of his cloak.

"Is Sonea not with you?" Cery asked with concern. He had assumed that Akkarin would meet up with Sonea and Faren to deal with the Ichani slaves. He had not expected to see Akkarin alone.

Akkarin ignored Cery's question and placed his cool palms against Cery's temples. An image flashed into his mind. A ruined house, dust, and the face of a Sachakan man, his face a mixture of rage and concentration.

"Can you get me to this place by the most direct route?" Akkarin asked urgently.

There was an edge to his voice that Cery had never heard before. He looked into the shadow of Akkarin's hood. Cery saw the glint of jet eyes in a face that was paler than he remembered.

"Yes" Cery answered. "it is near one of our escape hatches – why?" A seed of dread took hold in his stomach.

"The person who is facing the Ichani you saw is Sonea – alone," he added hoarsely.

"The trap I set did not work then?" Cery muttered. He cast his eyes down and clenched his fists. He had put Sonea into this position with his notions of defeating Ichani without magic. If anything happened to her now it would be his fault.

Akkarin's voice broke his thoughts. " _That _ Ichani is dead – along with some of your men," he added grimly. "Sonea and Faren came across another, wandering, taking power from buildings. He attacked Sonea and is quickly wearing her down. I must find her. I will not loose two people I love today."

As he spoke he glided to the exit of the den. Cery, trying to absorb this information, hurried after him

"Two people?" He asked.

"Lorlen is dead." Akkarin replied quietly and Cery thought he heard his voice catch.

As they passed through a doorway Akkarin suddenly stopped, his fingers gripping the door frame. The knuckles on his slender hand turned white. He stared at the floor as if he would bore a hole in it. "Sonea!" he hissed. "He's exhausted her. Her shield is down."

* * *

><p>Sonea felt her power fading as her shield wavered and then finally gave way. She braced herself for the onslaught of more strikes, but the man in front of her merely stood regarding her intently. She stumbled forward as her legs started to give way, and she felt the Ichani's shield slip over her. He reached forward and grabbed a handful of her now damp and dirty hair, jerking her head so that she was forced to meet his eyes.<p>

"I would have liked to have kept you for myself, but Kariko has other plans". He bared his teeth in a cruel grin as he reached into richly embroidered robes and pulled out a Sachakan knife.

"I will, however, take what small power you have left so that you'll give me no trouble on the way back to Kariko."

Sonea panicked; he was still holding her by her hair. She needed skin contact if she was at least to try the healing trick. She felt another minds fear on the edge of her own.

__Do it Sonea! Before he uses the knife!_

Akkarin's mental voice pulsed in her already pounding head.

"Besides, it will get you used to the many cuts that are to come," the Ichani was continuing. Sonea reached forward as quickly as her exhausted strength allowed and grabbed his wrist weakly – it didn't matter, it was enough.

"You fool" he mocked, "you think you can stop me now?"

He thought that she meant to wrestle the knife off him. His malicious smile froze as, with the last of her strength, Sonea sent her consciousness forward into his body, and found his heart, constricting it. Puzzlement replaced the smile on the Ichani's face as it turned ashen. He keeled over onto the uneven ground; the knife clattered on stone. Sonea stared at him, appalled, as the last links to the mortal world flickered in his eyes.

__Take his power now!_

Akkarin brought her out of her frozen state and she quickly stooped for the knife. As her fingers curled around the hilt, a booted foot savagely came down on her hand, making her cry out. A hand snatched the knife and slashed it against the dying Ichani's throat, and the same hand dropped the blade and was placed over the wound on the man's neck. Sonea's vision blurred from exhaustion and pain. She looked through a fog at the man who now stood before her: Kariko.

He had been watching from the doorway of the partially ruined house. He had been trying to find his kinsman who had wandered, seemingly to gain pleasure from the destruction of the Kryalians' homes, rather than for the power that some of the structures provided. He had been drawn to the sound of demolition and had watched, intrigued, as his fellow Ichani had engaged the woman in battle. He had tilted his head, his eyes twinkling, in a detached admiration for the determination, and no little skill, of the small female magician in front of him. Then, recognition had dawned as her face caught the light of strikes and the haze had cleared a little. Akkarin's apprentice!

He'd smiled as he had slipped something onto his finger. He'd sensed the old man's mind linked to his recoil in horror as Sonea stumbled, her shield obliterated; the inevitable outcome. As the knife was drawn, Kariko's smile had turned to a perplexed frown as his fellow invader had fallen to the ground. He'd leapt from the shadow of the doorway and acted quickly. He was surprised at the outcome, but it mattered little to him that it was he that ended the life of his companion. There had been no love between them; he had been a pawn in a greater game. And now as he stared down at the woman before him, he contemplated the opportunity for a little amusement for the first time in what seemed like weeks.

Kariko.

If Dakova had been cruel, then Kariko was his master. If Dakova had been calculated, then Kariko was his teacher. And now, the chance to bring suffering to, not one, but to three people had just walked right into his embrace.

"Akkarin's little pet. What good fortune" he sneered. His foot pressed down on her hand and, as she felt something give way, she cried out.

"I could kill you now, but you have expended your power and it would achieve little. No, I will keep you . You are a scrawny thing, but you will entertain me for a while at least."

He released her hand and she inhaled a sharp breath of pain. Kariko grabbed her wrist and pulled her up until she was half standing on buckled knees. Sonea was dimly aware of the skin contact but she had no power – she had never been so exhausted.

Akkarin frantically pleaded, then commanded, from somewhere in her mind, to reach out and grab Kariko's heart - to do anything.

__I have no power._

She could barely hear her mental voice above the thumping behind her skull.

__I can do nothing._

She was strangely numb at the realisation, yet she felt the sting of tears as Kariko's bejewelled hand clamped down on her clammy forehead. The world spun and became a black void.

* * *

><p>"Sonea – No!" Akkarin exclaimed in horror as he reeled back and took a step to steady himself.<p>

Cery looked at Akkarin's twisted face, and fear clenched his heart. "What's happened?" He reached out and shook the magician, a thing he would not have dared to do only a few short weeks ago.

"Akkarin! tell me!" Cery's shout brought the taller man's eyes to his, and he almost shrank back at the dark fury that glittered there.

"Kariko has Sonea," he said in a tight, controlled, voice.

"What? How?" Cery asked, bewildered.

"I don't know. He must have been there, watching and waiting. He struck as she was about to take the other Ichani's power." Akkarin lowered his gaze and muttered as if not want wanting to believe it.

"She has no power – she is defenceless. I have to get to her Cery. Take me."

Cery moved through the door at the order, as anxious to find Sonea as her lover was. As Akkarin followed he glanced at the others in the room who had been observing with growing apprehension.

"One of the Ichani – Kariko" – his eyes locked with Takan's – " has read Sonea's mind; this place is no longer safe; you must make the best way that you can. I'm sorry." He turned away from Takan and made to go out of the door.

__Akkarin , Akkarin! What a pretty little pet you have here! I can see why you kept her. A bit small, but she will do. What double fortune that I came across her and that she is wearing a blood ring of yours. You will feel all of her fear and pain, and in vengeance for my brother's death, you can be assured that both will be great._

Kariko's voice was hard and mocking and all magicians heard the relay.

From a corner of the room where he sat, Regin saw Akkarin's eyes move from the door and then blink, once . Then, in a quick smooth movement, Akkarin swiped at the nearest pile of boxes with his arm, sending them flying. He then grabbed the closest one and smashed it against the door frame as a word escaped from his throat in a gut-wrenching roar."NO!"

The incongruity of witnessing such a controlled, powerful and aloof magician losing all physical control was not lost on Regin. He winced and looked away.

Akkarin lent against the door frame; his forehead against the wood; his breathing hard; his eyes now closed. He inhaled a long breath and addressed Cery.

"Kariko has taken my blood ring off Sonea, for the moment. I do not know for certain where he may go." His voice was now calm, if hoarse, but his face, Cery noticed, was now devoid of all colour. Cery followed Akkarin's gaze to the red glint on his hand. He had slipped on Sonea's blood ring.

"She does not respond." He stated flatly. He grimaced. "She must be unconscious – sleeping or otherwise."

"Will he kill her? If you can't sense her, she may already be ..." Cery couldn't finish.

"No, not yet" Akkarin said quickly. "But do not think that is a blessing Cery." Akkarin looked up, his eyes blazing. "I think that the best guess is that Kariko will now make for the Guild with his remaining companion. They may hope to take the power from some of the buildings there, and to gloat over their conquests. I will go there under the passages. It is time to face these last two openly. We have done all that we can here now."

As Akkarin spoke he took the outer garments that concealed the black silk of robes beneath. He stood straight and tall. He was an intimidating sight.

"Cery, if your spies have news of Kariko – or Sonea – send word immediately to me through Takan."

Cery nodded, then as the magician made to turn away, Cery grabbed his arm. "Find her," he said simply. Akkarin's head moved in a barely perceptible acknowledgement of the request. The eyes that met Cery's were now hard and set. Only the tightening muscle in Akkarin's jaw belied the barely veiled emotions boiling underneath. Cery shuddered. The Black Magician pulled up the hood of the cloak that he had thrown about his shoulders, his face now in shadow, and, with a last glance at Takan, he turned and swept from the room, quickly merging into the darkness of the passageway beyond.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Rothen stood on the University roof and squinted into the late afternoon sunlight, trying to see beyond the clouds of dust that created a red tinged haze across the Inner Circle. He scanned for any signs of life in the ghostly deserted city. An almost tangible tension began to build; the minutes seemed like hours.

_I'm too old for this, _Rothen thought wearily. He glanced at the two magicians at his side who similarly searched for the Sachakan invaders below them._ But Dorrien is young and Balkan is a warrior._ He sighed. _And they have not had the burden of seeing their friends and colleagues' last moments through the eyes of their murderer._

"Did Akkarin have a plan once the Ichani knew he was here?" Balkan asked, looking at Dorrien.

"If he did , he never discussed it openly." Dorrien answered.

Another boom resounded from somewhere below them.

"Look!" Rothen's gaze followed Balkan's hand as he pointed toward the Inner Circle. Faint flashes of coloured light could just be seen, flickering, in the midst of the dust filled air that billowed upwards.

"A battle!" Dorrien exclaimed. They gazed, rooted to the spot, as they leaned over the facade of the University roof.

"Sonea – or Akkarin." Balkan muttered. The three shared a sense of helplessness as they watched the strangely beautiful colours dance below them. Abruptly it stopped.

Suddenly, Rothen gasped sharply, as if in pain, and he grasped the arm of his son. Alarmed, Dorrien turned, an expression of concern creasing his brow.

"Rothen, what's wrong?"

"Kariko has put on the blood ring. He has Sonea. She is exhausted,... barely conscious. She,...she defeated an Ichani but Kariko was there. He took the power of the other before Sonea could." Rothen turned to Dorrien, his eyes haunted. "He has her Dorrien; he has her..."

"Can you see Akkarin? Is Akkarin there too?" Balkan asked in a voice searching for hope but certain there was none. "Rothen? Rothen!"

Then a voice boomed through their heads:

__Akkarin, Akkarin, what a pretty little pet you have. I can see why you kept her..._

* * *

><p>"It was Dakova's undoing." Harikava glowered at the other Ichani. They had met in a mansion house in the Inner Circle. "Take their power and put an end to their miserable existence you said – remember? Or has all that power clouded your judgement Kariko? "<p>

Kariko's eyes flashed dangerously as he turned sharply to regard his companion.

"Careful Harikava, or you might just end up like the others. They wouldn't listen to me - I told them that we should stay together. Besides," he said thoughtfully, "she is very strong; her power grows quickly. I have already had to drain her in the short time since I found her, although more mundane methods of subduing her are more interesting."

Kariko flashed a smile devoid of humour as he turned back to consider the crumpled pile of fabric on the floor in front of him. He aimed a vicious kick at the dirty black silk, and smirked in satisfaction when he heard a groan. He lifted his foot again, this time using it to roll the bundle over, until a pale face, bruised and bloodied, could be seen through the sweat dampened strands of black hair that clung to it. Kariko turned to Harikava.

"Akkarin and his little helpers will be looking for us. We'll draw them into their precious Guild. It the houses here have been strengthened magically, then the buildings there must be ripe for the picking; but first things first."Kariko crouched down and took his captive's chin between his thumb and finger. The globe light above him dimmed until the non-descript guest room surrounding them was gloomy and shadowed. He then reached into a pocket and, when he opened his clasped hand, two red gemmed rings glinted there. He slipped the smallest onto the woman's finger and the other onto his own. He stroked the woman's cold cheek almost affectionately, pulling back the strands of hair. He spoke with a soft menace.

"Come, Sonea isn't it? It is time that I took some payment for the death of my brother ..."

Sonea was vaguely aware of the sound of silk ripping. Kariko's face came to within a finger breadth of hers, and she felt his hot breath.

"Akkarin," he said, looking into her drowsy, half open eyes. "I know you are there. You haven't cared for your apprentice very well. Know that what I do now is in payment for my brother's death, and the blame for your lover's suffering lies at your door alone."

Sonea dimly sensed Akkarin's searing grief and desperation through her blood ring; she sensed the horror and the anguish that wrenched at him; but most of all she sensed the deep love that underpinned all other emotions. She clung to the last emotion, wrapping it around herself, retreating into it in a vain attempt to block out what was happening. Then the back of a ringed hand savagely hit her on the side of her face and tipped her back into a swirling darkness of hazy images and twisted faces.

* * *

><p>...Somewhere high up, an old man lay on cold stone tiles, cradled in the arms of his son. His hands were over his eyes as if to block the sight of some horrific vision no-one else could see. His body wracked with shuddering sobs, as his heart broke. In spite of himself, a single thought crystallised in his mind:-<p>

__You shall die for this Kariko_.

Cruel laughter was his only reply.

...Somewhere deep underground a younger man fell to his knees on a dust covered floor, wrapping his arms around himself . Then his hands flew to his ears and pressed tightly, as if to stop terrible sounds that no-one else could hear. His body wretched in convulsions as it emptied the contents of his stomach , as his soul was torn in two. Despite himself, a single thought formed in his mind:-

__I am with you Sonea. You are not alone._

A feeling of paralyzing fear was his only answer.

* * *

><p>Cery peered through the trees towards the grounds of the Guild , looking for movements or signs of battle. His messengers had communicated that the two remaining Ichani had been seen leaving an Inner Circle house heading in the direction of the Guild. They also reported that a third person was with them, being levitated just above the ground between the two Sachakans, seemingly unconscious; Sonea. Cery's heart lurched; <em>at least she must be alive. They would not bother to burden themselves with a dead body.<em>

Cery had instructed Takan to inform Akkarin his guess about Kariko's movements had been correct. He recalled the grim expression that had overcome Takan's face as he gazed at a wall in silent communication. Cery, and the others who had gathered, questioned him, but he shook his head and would say nothing. Cery could not sit holed up any longer and he had taken a chance to sneak away before Gol could notice.

A crack of a tree branch and a rustle of leaves quickened Cery's heart and, looking towards where the sound had come from, he saw a familiar figure also surveying the Guild grounds. He stopped dead.

"Savara!" he called gently. Her hands suddenly snatched at the bark of the tree she was standing behind. She hissed a curse and turned to face him , scowling.

"Cery, it is fortunate for you that I recognised your voice. You might have just added yourself to the death toll." She paused. " Which includes more Ichani than I thought possible. You and your Black Magicians have done well."

She turned away beckoning to him to join her.

"Look." She breathed, as he came to stand beside her. She pointed, and Cery made out two figures, dressed exotically, and a black bundle just above the ground between them. The three moved in between the walls of the University and the gardens surrounding the Arena. Cery quickly took Savara's hand.

"They have Sonea." He said flatly.

"I know." She replied, her voice tinged with sadness and sympathy. She looked at him.

"They will not kill her unless they are desperate. She is too powerful a slave for Kariko to relinquish easily; small comfort, I know," she added.

"You cannot help." It was a statement, not a question, and Cery sounded resigned.

"This is not my battle to fight." She said gently, squeezing his hand. "I cannot go against my orders. Also, my interference might complicate things – I don't know what Akkarin plans."

Cery grasped her hand tighter and pulled her out from behind the tree.

"Come, let's see if we can get a better view."

He clung to the shadows of the Novice Quarters, crouching behind the shrubbery that periodically lined the path. He remembered holding another girl's hand, creeping along with the self-assuredness his youth back then had brought. It seemed like a lifetime ago. He turned to glance back at Savara and smiled, grimly, recalling another, more recent, memory of hard glittering eyes and the pool of fury and pain that lay behind them.

"I don't know what Akkarin planned for this moment either, but I want to be there when the dam bursts, and drowns Kariko and his friend in a pool of their own blood. "

* * *

><p>Akkarin emerged from behind a panel and entered an office that he was very familiar with. In one swift movement he pulled down the hood of his cloak and sank into a chair behind the desk – Lorlen's desk. Sighing, he looked around and felt a knot of grief tighten in his stomach.<p>

"I am sorry old friend, I have failed you; failed everyone," he whispered. Lorlen had spent so much of his time in this room, carrying out the duties that were so important to him, that Akkarin was sure that, if his friends soul lingered anywhere, it would be here.

Akkarin leaned his elbows on the desk and put his head in his hands. As he drew long fingers slowly away again his face looked haggard, but resolute. His connection with Sonea through the blood rings had been intermittent in the thirty or so minutes since he had dragged himself up off the dirty floor of the passageway. Kariko's cruelty had stopped, for the moment, and Akkarin guessed that Sonea drifted in and out of consciousness. Akkarin's eyes shone with tears that he refused to shed and he inhaled a ragged breath. He stood up abruptly, slipping Sonea's ring from his finger. Kariko had removed the blood ring from Sonea, Akkarin guessed, in an attempt to prevent his exact position from being known. However difficult, if he had any chance of saving her, he must push all thoughts of Sonea , of Lorlen, Yikmo and the others into a remote corner of his mind. He needed no distractions. He could deal with those emotions later.

_If there is a later,_ he thought.

For now, he had Kariko and Harikava to deal with. Akkarin considered the Ichani's position:-

The Guild had managed to kill one Ichani, but had used nearly all of their power to do so. Kariko would know that they could offer no more real resistance. By entering the Guild openly, the Sachakan's had deprived the Thieves of more opportunity for trickery. Sonea was captive. The former High Lord was now the only barrier between the Ichani and the complete capitulation of the Guild, Imardin, and Kyralia.

Akkarin's eyes narrowed; Kariko would rightly consider himself in a strong position. Two powerful Ichani against one Black Magician. They need use no skill or trickery; they only had to fight it out until Akkarin's strength failed. Kariko and Harikava had witnessed the Guild's initial attack at the Gates. The first invader to be killed had been overcome by the Guild magicians focusing all of their power on just him.

_If I attack only Kariko first_, _and make them think I am using the same strategy, it may open up a window of opportunity for me to get rid of Harikava, before I use too much power. _Akkarin mused.

He knew the Ichani were very powerful, but not necessarily very wise. As their leader, Kariko had a shrewd intelligence; Akkarin was hoping that Harikava was not so blessed, and that he would leave his shield initially weakened, thinking his enemy was pre-occupied with attacking Kariko.

_If I can use that window to kill Harikava, then it will be a one on one battle with Kariko, and I can see no way that I can overcome him._

Half a plan was better than no plan however, and, not wanting to give the invaders time to explore the University, he silently left the office with grim resolve. He knew he faced death but as Akkarin faced this final terrible test, he knew that no sacrifice would be too great to save Sonea.

* * *

><p>Rothen heard soft voices talking urgently as he sat hunched against the railings of the University roof. The wind that was gathering high up whipped away the words before he could hear them. He slowly stood on unstable legs, shaking his head as if to clear it.<p>

"...wait to see what Akkarin does first." Dorrien was speaking. "We can make no difference on our own, but we may be able to aid him if we fight together _with _him."

"He's right Balkan." They turned to see Rothen approaching. Dorrien hurried to his father's side.

"We should conceal our presence up here until Akkarin makes a move, then strike if we see a benefit. If nothing else we may surprise the Ichani for a few seconds."

Dorrien looked at Balkan speculatively. "We should also pool our power through you Balkan. You are the head of Warriors and have the greatest skill in battle."

Balkan nodded as Rothen and Dorrien moved to stand either side of him, placing their hands on his shoulders. Balkan sighed resignedly as the three stood looking down from the dizzying height. They saw as the two Ichani and their captive weaved between trees and shrubbery, as if leisurely taking in their pleasant surroundings.

"So it comes to this; a Warrior, an Alchemist, and a Healer." Balkan muttered.

At that moment a tall dark figure rounded the far corner of the courtyard end of the University and stopped , forty paces from the Ichani.

"And one Black Magician." Rothen added.

**Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3. The Slum Girl**

-_Sonea..._ _Sonea..._... a whisper, a tug at the edge of her consciousness.

Images flashed through her mind, moments in time that together told a story; like the flicker picture books her aunt amused her with as a child.

A small girl with large, dark eyes giggling whilst being spun round and round by her father. Those eyes brimming with tears at her first grief; the loss of her mother. The soft murmuring of a lullaby as she lay in a cold room, cramped with people, trying to sleep. Clinging to her aunt's skirts as guards herded her out of the same room onto damp , dark streets. Older; running through those same streets, hand in hand with a boy, a thrill of excitement jarring her spine as she clutched the stolen sweet cake in her hand.

Laughter - as she listened with shaking head to the tall stories that Harrin and his gang told.

Anger - at the injustice of the Purge. A stone thrown; a life changed.

Flight; fear; confusion; uncertainty; betrayal; stubbornness. A kind man's face, smiling - care, comfort.

_-Sonea..._a familiar voice, trying to bring her back to the moment; pulling her back from the brink of an abyss which offered release, but from which there would be no return.

Her mind whirled with pictures and emotions, threatening to swamp her and push her over: Brown robes and disdainful looks; feelings of inadequacy. Leering faces, full of ignorant hate. A thirst for knowledge; power; strength - pride. A tall, black swirl of silk - fear; loneliness. Dark, glittering eyes, full of intelligence and a painful secret - understanding; resolve; love...

_-Sonea..._

The images stopped abruptly. Flashes of light pervaded the blackness behind her eyelids. Sounds of stone cracking, the air sizzling with magic, reached her ears, as if from a great distance.

_-Sonea..._

She moved her head slowly towards the lights and sounds. Pain lanced through her head, jarring every nerve in her body. Her heartbeat, thudding within her, slowed; her breathing, laboured.

_**-SONEA!...**_ Rothen's voice thundered in her head. Her eyes snapped open and took in the destruction around her. She took in the exotic robes of a man who stood with his back to her, some ten or so paces away – Kariko. Sonea's heart now began to race as her gaze finally rested on the figure who stood facing Kariko: - Akkarin. His expression was taut in concentration and effort. Sonea's stomach flipped, she knew he was fighting for his life.

* * *

><p>"Akkarin, Akkarin, what a pretty place you have here." Kariko sneered as he slowly advanced towards the Black Magican. " I can see why you wanted to keep it for yourselves. How discourteous of you to close the door on your guests." Akkarin had closed the front, and then the courtyard doors of the University before revealing himself to the Ichani.<p>

"When it is ours, however," Kariko continued " I will make a few changes." With that, he threw a powerful force strike to the left of Akkarin, striking the corner of the Novice Quarters. Stone and glass were sent shattering into the air, tinkling as it skittered across the courtyard beyond.

Harikava laughed cruelly as he stepped from behind his companion. As he walked past where Sonea's prone body hung, suspended, he glanced at her. He made a small gesture with his hand and she fell to the ground like a stone.

"I am sure you enjoyed watching the fun we had with your little apprentice, or, should I say, your lover. History seems to be repeating itself - after a fashion." Harikava's malicious laughter seemed to fill the air as he came to stand next to Kariko.

"I agree with Kariko that we need to make some adjustments. This place is far too green for our tastes. We are used to a more barren landscape, thanks to your forefathers." He smiled, wryly, lifting his left hand out to his side. A red light blazed from it, finding contact beyond where Sonea lay, blasting the trees and plants towards the Arena into nothingness.

Akkarin began to advance on the two Ichani. His hood cast his face into darkness. He stepped over the rubble that had been scattered, and reached with long pale fingers to pull back his cloak. His unbound hair lay as black as his robes on his shoulders, framing a face so hard and pale that it looked carven in marble; the expression it bore was terrible. His eyes, black and glittering as jet, burned with a pain and rage that was unquenchable.

"Kariko, your brother was a fool for keeping me, and he paid the price for causing pain to those I held dear." Akkarin's tight voice reverberated off the walls of the University. It was soft, yet menacingly clear.

"You are _not_ such a fool, and should know the consequences for visiting such destruction on my City – and my heart." Akkarin then raised his arms so swiftly, sending almost invisible strikes, that, for an instant, there was a look of surprise in the Ichanis' faces.

Kariko and Harikava answered Akkarin's attack with strikes that blazed, curving in the air to batter Akkarin's shield from all directions. The ground became churned around the trio as hits rebounded off the strong shields, causing more destruction to the gardens and the walls on either side.

"You cannot win this." Kariko raised his voice above the turmoil of battle. "Why don't you surrender now and you can have the honour of being our most powerful slave?" He mocked.

Akkarin did not answer, but his brow furrowed in concentrated fury as he relentlessly attacked Kariko with magic, deliberately paying no attention to Harikava. He noticed that, whilst Kariko wore a look of determined effort, Harikava's leering face glanced around at his surroundings, sure of his safety for the moment.

Just then, strikes began to hit Kariko from above. Akkarin glanced up and saw three figures silhouetted against the reddening sky, high up on the roof. He saw his chance whilst Kariko was diverted by these new assailants. He quickly switched his attention to Harikava, sending a wave of differing strikes skittering all around Harikava's position, hoping that one would find a weak spot in the complacent Ihcani's shield.

Harikava's eyes widened in shock, his smile froze on his face. In the next instant his shield winked out of existence. Akkarin raised his hand, flexed his wrist in an almost careless gesture, and Harikava was pulled violently backwards, as if by a rope around his waist. His back smashed into the wall of the University with a hideous crack. He fell, crumpled to the ground, his body contorted, his head at an unnatural angle. Blood seeped from his ears and his nose, pooling around his head; his eyes stared at nothing.

A second later, a bright white light pulsed from Harikava's body, which combusted into a ball of pale flames. The blast radiated outwards, ripping through the ground floor classrooms of the University. Kariko, who had turned to witness the fate of his kinsman, now turned back and glowered darkly at Akkarin. A crooked smile pulled at Akkain's lips.

"It looks like it's just us now. Shall we finish this?" Magic seared the air as the two men opened strike, both knowing that this was a fight to the death; there would be no taking of slaves.

The three magicians on the roof gripped the hand rail as the last of Harikava's power ripped through the building far below their feet; the explosion sending shuddering groans through the University. As the dust below them settled, they saw Akkarin and Kariko facing each other once more, the look of venomous hatred they threw each other was unmistakable even at a distance. Balkan felt chilled to the bone, and it was not because of the wind whistling about him.

"Can he win?" Dorrien asked in a whispered voice.

"I don't know, but I think anything we do now will make little difference. Akkarin is our only hope." Balkan stated, all too aware of the cold irony for the Guild's very existence to be dependant on a man whom they had exiled.

Rothen stirred from where he had been staring fixedly down at Sonea, where she had lain since Harikava had dropped her. "Sonea..." he hissed. The other two magicians turned questioningly to him, and then followed his gaze through the gathering dusk to the figure that now lay twenty paces behind Kariko's position – it was slowly moving.

"What is she doing? She can't possibly do anything in her condition." Dorrien murmured with the bite of renewed concern.

"She's crawling away from Kariko, away from the rebounding strikes." Balkan said, just as a force strike bounced off Kariko's shield and into a small tree, flattening it.

"Or she's moving _towards_..." Balkan gasped as realisation hit,"...the Arena."

* * *

><p>Sonea stared at Akkarin for what felt like an eternity; dark eyes blinking slowly as her mind struggled with the dull ache and pain that pervaded her body. She closed her eyes and sought for the source of her power; she found it. A small kernel of light in the darkness that seemed to pulse with her heart. With each beat it grew a fraction bigger. She drew on the tiny store of power and sent a trickle of healing energy to the worst of her pain. She opened her eyes again. The fog that had smothered her thoughts began to lift ,and she now stared straight upwards towards the ruby and amethyst sky.<p>

_Only Kariko left, but Akkarin is weakening. He cannot defeat him alone, _Sonea thought. Something caught her attention to her left, in the periphery of her vision. She turned her head carefully. The Arena could clearly be seen, the gardens in ruins before it.

"_Only if we must..."_ A memory tugged at her mind.

"We must." She whispered to the sky above through painful lips, no trace of doubt in her voice. She pushed more recent memories, threatening to tip her into despair, resolutely behind a heavy door of her mind. She began to half crawl, half drag herself, slowly towards the sand covered stone circle, not daring to look back at the battle behind her, and hoping beyond hope, that Kariko's back remained turned to her.

Time seemed to stand still as she hauled herself across ruined ground, splinters of tree bark, stones and dirt biting her skin. At last, a dark long shadow was cast on the ground before her. She raised her head and looked up, craning her neck, at one of the masts of the Arena looming above . She sensed the tension in the air that ran between each of the eight masts, tight with the vast magic shield that was supported by them.

With her last effort, Sonea reached her outstretched hand towards the base of the mast. She willed the small vestige of power out of her fingertips and gasped, shutting her eyes tight, as it met an ocean of magical power. With care she began to draw on the shimmering vat of energy. Sonea became aware that the tiny kernel that had been her power only moments before, had now blossomed into a huge tree of light. It's branches grew and spread energy coursing through her veins and sinews, until she felt that light and power permeated the pores of her skin, unable to be contained by her physical body. Sonea had never felt or seen such power. She let the flow of energy stop long before she had drained the huge store of the shield, knowing she had taken what was necessary.

_This is the power given by Guild magicians, most of whom now lie dead in the streets of Imardin by Ichani hands._ Sonea felt a cold rage build inside her that made her anger at the purge seem like a vague annoyance.

Sonea stood up on shaky legs, still dimly aware of pain and throbbing ache, but not wanting to use time or energy on any more Healing than was necessary for her to stand and carry out the task at hand. She also doubted that she had the adequate skill to heal some of her injuries effectively. Kariko would feel the full force of the power she had taken, and he would know who wielded it before he died. With a small frown of concentration, Sonea created a disc of magic beneath her feet and a transparent shield around her. Walking was still too painful, so she silently levitated above the ground and glided towards the University.

* * *

><p>From their vantage point in the shadows of the Novice Quarters, crouching now behind stone and rubble, Cery and Savara watched in awe as white lightning streaks chased around the invisible shield of the Arena. One of the masts seem to vibrate slightly and a low, barely audible, hum seemed to charge the air.<p>

As they gaped open mouthed, the light reflecting in their faces, they saw a small dark figure moving at the base of one of the eight curved structures surrounding the stone circle. The lightening abruptly stopped and the figure was now silhouetted against the red sky as it floated towards the two men locked in magical combat.

"Is that...? Savara asked, astonished.

"Sonea." Cery finished, and his eyes shone in the fading light.

* * *

><p>Kariko stood intent and smiling malevolently at the man before him. His back to the Arena, he had not witnessed the light show that had played out around it's circumference. He did not see the approach of the woman whom he had dismissed as defeated. Both men were tiring now, reaching the end of their reserves, but the strain on Akkarin's sweat soaked face was starkly evident, as he poured the last of his energy into his shield, barely making any strikes. He had seen the disturbance at the Arena behind his enemy, and he had noticed with a jolt of fear and hope that the dark heap that was Sonea had gone.<p>

"Kariko!" Sonea's mental and physical voice resounded coldly clear. Maintaining his shield, Kariko turned to stare, wide eyed, at the woman who came to rest on the ground before him.

"Sonea!" Akkarin gasped, his face haggard with exhaustion.

On the roof of the University Balkan, Rothen and Dorrien leaned precariously over the railings.

In their crowded hideout in the City Dannyl, Osen and what was left of the Guild, clenched their fists, eyes glazed as they focused on the mental images Balkan was projecting to them. The King sat, head bowed, as one of his advisers pressed their palms to his temples.

Under the Slums in a narrow passage, Takan, Gol and other of Cery's men, listened intently as Regin relayed the events, his lips murmuring quietly.

At the edge of the courtyard in the Guild, behind Akkarin's position, Cery and Savara stood openly now, hands clasped tightly.

Imardin inhaled and held a collective breath, all their attention on the former slum girl, who was now the most important person in Kryalia.

Despite her diminutive stature, Sonea seemed to tower over the Ichani who stood a few paces in front of her, an impenetrable shield buzzing around her. She stood straight, on bare feet, her black robes fluttering in tatters around her, revealing the violation and brutality that had been visited on her body by the man who now stood cowed before her. Shoulder length hair framed her pale features like a dark halo, eyes glittered with hatred for the man who had been the engineer of her and Akkarins' misery. Kariko was unable to hide his fear and terror; he could sense the deadly raw power that radiated from Sonea, and knew with icy clarity what awaited him. In vain he put all of his remaining power into his shield.

Sonea slowly raised both arms. She would take no chances. She closed her eyes and harnessed all the power within her, until she felt that the light of it must blaze from under her eyelids. A pattern of strikes coalesced in her mind, both intricate and fatal. With the smallest flick of her wrists and outstretched fingers, she released all the power of those magicians who had strengthened the Arena, most of them now dead. Vengence was not only hers , but theirs also.

So many flares of light streaked towards Kariko that, behind him, Akkarin stepped back and shielded his eyes. As the strikes hit, Kariko's shield seemed to implode back into him, becoming a focus for the great energy that swamped him. His eyes bulged out of his ashen face and a shrill cry went up, borne on the wind to reach the ears of Rothen far above. Abruptly the light flashed out of existence. A pile of charred remains, in a small crater between the two Black Magicians, was all that remained of the Ichani leader.

Everything was bathed in an eerie blood red glow as the Sun clung to the horizon. Akkarin fell to his knees, his power finally spent, his eyes blinking slowly, his face fixed in a look of anguish. Utter silence seemed to stretch a cold hand across the Guild and the City beyond.

Sonea's wide eyes blurred with tears, and she gasped in horror at the scene before her. She reeled backwards in shock and fatigue. Her eyes locked with Akkarin's, then they rolled back into her head and she crumpled to the ground with a sickening thud.

"**SONEA**!" Akkarin screamed. The raw emotion in his voice echoing around the ruined grounds of the University. "Sonea..." he croaked in a whisper as dark fingers gripped at his consciousness and pulled him under. He fell forward onto the ground, his awareness obliterated, and he lay perfectly still.

**A/N:- Hope you like this, I found it quite hard to write and am not sure about it. Still, it's out there now, so too late! Please, please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4.- The Sleeper **

"I don't give a damn what the Houses think! " A jewelled hand slammed down on a wooden desk sending papers and scrolls flying.

"The Houses can go and drown themselves in the Tarali River! Surely even they cannot argue with the ruin of the Inner Circle!"

The King's anger abated abruptly and he drew a hand across his face, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I'm sorry Ilorin. It's been a long few days..." he glanced around the room at his cousin, the counsellors and Higher Magicians that had gathered in a meeting room at the palace.

"...for us all," he added wearily.

Lord Balkan cleared his throat and spoke quietly, spreading his hands on the table in front of him.

"Your Majesty, we at the Guild share your sentiment that the truth of Akkarin's words be acknowledged, and gratitude duly be shown; but you must see the need to rebuild the Guild quickly." He paused to meet the King's green eyes, bright with emotion, and continued.

"If we alienate the Houses by asking them to accept too much too soon, they may be reluctant to send their sons and daughters to us as novices. We need them," he stated bluntly.

Vinara stepped forward. "We all feel some guilt at Akkarin's exile, but we had no way of knowing if he spoke the truth. We had no choice." Her voice dropped to almost a whisper.

"We all feel remorse for what happened, and that our trust in him failed. I know you... count him as a friend," she added gently.

"_Counted_ him as a friend," the King said, and he turned to stare out of the window.

Much of the rubble and debris had been removed, or piled neatly, in the search for bodies following the destruction of the Ichani attack. Mercifully, only a few dead had been found both in the Inner, and the Outer Circle, as the Slums were now to be referred to. Though the recovery would take time, homes could be rebuilt. It was the Guild who had suffered the greatest loss and, with half their number now dead, and, not knowing the exact situation in Sachaka, it was the Guild that had to be bolstered with haste.

The King sighed and continued to look out of the window. His eyes narrowed.

"If they had seen what I saw - what _you_ all saw," he said , nodding to the magicians present, "they would not blanch at my request."

"No," a new voice said. "But they did not see, and, if you allow me to speak frankly your Majesty, what the Houses do not see, very rarely concerns them." Osen looked up to meet the Kings keen gaze.

"With Sonea's presence in the Guild over the last few years, her unquestionable natural power, and with the bravery of the Slum dwellers over the last two weeks, I think that we have all had to face our prejudices and re-think." As he glanced at the faces in the room, many of them dropped their gazes with expressions akin to shame.

"But, I advise a more cautious approach to change," he continued. There was a murmur of agreement. "What creeps upon the Houses may not be so readily noticed by them."

"Yes... yes; you're right." The King said resignedly. "It's just that when Black Magicians save your life, your city, and, most likely, your country, it turns everything on its head and causes you to question what you once held as certain." He stood up suddenly, running his hands through his hair.

"So, " he inhaled deeply and allowed a faint smile to touch his lips, "when will you hold your elections?"

* * *

><p>Rothen sighed as he pushed the plate of cold food away. He stared out of the window of his guest room, brooding over the events of the last few days. He glanced back at the food Tania had left for him.<p>

"_Get some food , and get some rest." _Vinara had said to him sternly as she had ushered him out of Sonea's room in the Healing Quarter.

He knew he would take little of either. Every time he shut his eyes, images played across his closed lids, torturing him. Images of magicians, some of them his friends, being cruelly slain and discarded, like animals. Images of Sonea as she lay and could not move, Kariko brutally beating and violating her. When he saw those images, his stomach clenched and he could eat nothing. Tears pricked at his eyes.

In the three days since the Ichani were defeated, Sonea had not regained consciousness. Her natural power had replenished, and Vinara and Dorrien had tirelessly tended her physical injuries and she was healing well. There was no obvious reason for her not to wake, but she lay still and motionless; the only movement was the slight rise and fall of her chest, and the convulsion of her throat as she swallowed the water that was offered to her lips. Vinara had speculated that the shock to her body of taking, and then quickly expelling, the power of the Arena, was too great for Sonea's mind to comprehend. As Vinara had pointed out, it was unknown territory, but, whatever the reason, the attempts to enter her mind had been met with fierce mental barriers.

A faint knocking at the door broke Rothen's thoughts. Brushing the moisture from his eyes and, with a slight exertion of will,he opened the door opened.

"I hear congratulations are in order." Dannyl forced a smile as he entered the room briskly. The smile quickly turned into a frown when he noticed the pallid complexion and dark circles under his friend's eyes. Dannyl sank into a chair next to Rothen knowing the task he had been given would not be achieved easily.

"Head of Alchemic Studies, eh? Who would have thought it? Not that it isn't well deserved." Dannyl persisted.

"It has yet to go to the vote." Rothen replied indifferently, his dull eyes not even meeting those of his friend.

Dannyl inhaled, "Sonea will be pleased when she hears. She cares for you as a father- you know that. She would not like to see you so despondent." He glanced at Rothen who sat tight lipped and silent. His attempts to draw him into conversation were failing miserably.

_And Vinara and Dorrien sent me here to cheer him up – and to get him to eat._ Dannyl thought. He glanced at the full plate of cold food and snorted softly. He took another deep breath and tried again.

"Sonea will be unbearably smug at the King's change of heart over the Purge. Re-building the Slums – the Outer Circle I should say – and opening a Healing Centre there, no less! It seems coming face to face with death, only to be saved by something you considered evil, has had quite a profound effect on our Monarch." Dannyl grimaced slightly. "There have been rumblings of discontent in the Houses."

"The Houses be damned." Rothen muttered with quiet vehemence , finally a spark in his eyes.

"Great minds think alike, " Dannyl mumbled under his breath before continuing quickly. "I've heard a rumour that the King has been persuaded out of another request he had; one that the Houses would have considered a step too far."

Rothen glanced at this friend darkly. "Yes, I heard that rumour too, and for once, I agree with our esteemed nobility."

Silence stretched between the two friends and Rothen returned to the view at the window. Dannyl leaned forward and gently grasped the older man's shoulder.

"Dorrien told me about the blood ring that Kariko had. He... also outlined Sonea's... injuries. I'm sorry, I can't imagine..." Dannyl trailed off, not knowing how to comfort his friend. "If you need to talk about..."

"No, I would not burden you with that." Rothen's pained eyes crinkled as he smiled sadly. "But, thankyou." He said as he grasped the hand on his shoulder.

* * *

><p>"You're leaving?" It was statement, not a question, as so often seemed the case where Savara was concerned.<em> You could be married to someone for years and not know their thoughts so<em> _well. _Cery thought. Her scent filled his nostrils as he pulled her close. Savara pulled away slightly and reached up to kiss him deeply; a final kiss. He looked longingly at her and yet knew she did not belong in Kyralia.

Cery sighed and looked away, his expression hardening as he looked at his men still working to clear away rubble. He felt a dull ache in the pit of his stomach; he knew he was responsible for the death of some of his men, and if Sonea and Faren had waited when they had located the Ichani with the slaves, then they may not have crossed paths with the other Ichani.

_And Kariko would never have captured Sonea,_ he thought; _and Faren would still be alive._ Cery felt the dull ache suddenly weigh him down, like a boulder inside him, dragging him reluctantly into memories he would rather forget. He remembered running, his legs feeling like lead, the pounding of his feet on stone echoing in his ears. He remembered kneeling by Sonea and screaming for help as he turned her over and saw her bruised and bloodied face. He recalled looking up as three magicians skidded to a halt next to the two Black Magicians, their faces filled with anguish, the oldest man's eyes brimming with tears as he knelt by Sonea and placed his hands on her temples. He had watched, feeling useless, as they had carried Sonea and Akkarin away, leaving him with a message for Jonna and Ranel.

"What will you do now?" Savara's voice brought Cery back to the present. He looked at her and smiled, snaking an arm around her waist.

"With Akkarin's help, I have gained enough respect from a big enough number of Thieves to secure my place amongst them. Faren leaves a gap I may take advantage of and, even without Akkarin's influence now, I may have a strong enough start to grow on. Just how strong and how tall the tree will grow remains to be seen." He leaned down and sought her lips.

"Let's not talk about it now, I need to give you a proper goodbye." His lips found hers and Cery kissed her hungrily, with a need, not only for physical pleasure, but with a greater need to find release, if only for a while, from his mental anguish.

* * *

><p>Rothen awoke with a start at the soft rapping at his door. He shook his head sleepily and a dim globe light sprang into life above him. Darkness now hung like a veil outside his window, and he still sat in his guest room chair.<p>

_It's late,_ he thought. _I must have finally fallen asleep after Dannyl left._ A knock sounded at the door again. _Probably Dorrien or Vinara checking up on me._ He glanced at the cold plate of food that still sat where he had pushed it earlier. He grimaced, foreseeing the rebuke he would receive. He willed the door open. The figure that stood there hesitated, as if reluctant to pass the threshold.

"Sonea!" Rothen exclaimed, suddenly fearful. "Is she...?"

"There is no change," a soft and deeply resonant voice said. "Her aunt and uncle are with her," and the dark gaze of the speaker that met the older magicians was full of pain.

As Akkarin stepped slowly into the beam of the globe light, Rothen took in the pale face, the dark circles under his eyes, and the pinched look to his mouth. Though they had both kept a vigil at Sonea's bedside, the two men had barely looked at each other, or exchanged words. The former High Lord walked over to where Rothen sat, the door snapping shut behind him. Rothen dropped his gaze and slumped forward, his head in his hands, his fingers clasping his greying hair. He saw the black silken robes brushing against booted feet as Akkarin came to stand next to him.

"Rothen, I..."

"You said that nothing was more important to you than keeping her safe." Rothen interjected as he struggled to contain his emotion. He looked up sternly to meet black eyes. "Before you were exiled. Do you remember ? I asked you to make sure you did, and you led me to believe you would. Instead you used her in a battle you thought you could not win. You let her risk herself needlessly. You, you..."

"Needlessly?" Akkarin breathed incredulously. "Used her? You know as well as I Sonea's sense of justice and fairness. My mistake was allowing her to know the truth about the Ichani," the Black Magician continued bitterly. "Once she did, she wanted to do everything she could to help. Everything- including learning Black Magic. You must believe that I tried to persuade her otherwise. Her determination and stubbornness are quite formidable for one so small."

A wistful half smile played on Akkarin's lips. Rothen looked away. The younger man's expression became serious again.

"As for needlessly, we would all be dead if not for her; but do not think that , if I thought Kariko at all honourable, I would not have offered to trade myself for her freedom,"

Rothen was unwilling to let his anger go. He needed someone to blame, but deep down he knew that that someone was not the man who stood before him now. _No, _he thought, _all that remains of the man who is to blame is a shallow crater in the Guild grounds. I am a foolish old man. Sonea would not thank me for suggesting that she was weak and easily led_, _when the reality is that she has shown a bravery_ in sharing _Akkarin's burden that most of the cosseted magicians of the Guild could not even contemplate._

Rothen's resolve to vent his hurt at the only other living person who understood it weakened. But there _was_ one other thing.

" Vinara thinks Sonea may have been pregnant before..." Rothen could not finish. His eyes flashed at Akkarin. "It was your child?" he asked accusingly.

There was a rustle of silk as Akkarin sank into the chair next to Rothen.

"Yes, Vinara told me; and yes, it was,_" _the Black Magician said quietly in a voice laden with grief.

As Rothen glanced at the younger magician, he saw the glittering of unshed tears on his lashes. Rothen quickly looked away, suddenly ashamed, and with a feeling that he trespassed unrighteously on another's sorrow.

Akkarin's hand brushed his face. "Nothing happened whilst she was my novice. She did not even know of my regard, but...I love her" he said simply. "With all my soul. How could I not?"

As he spoke, Akkarin realised suddenly that he cared for this small woman from the Slums more than anyone in his whole life, past or present. There was nothing illusory about his love for the oddly courageous and loyal girl.

Rothen met Akkarin's eyes steadily, and the two men regarded each other. An unspoken understanding passed between them of the pain that they both bore, and an unspoken promise of care and protection for the woman that they both loved in their different ways.

"Yes." Rothen whispered, almost inaudibly, and he smiled. "How could you not."

* * *

><p>The Higher Magicians gathered in Osen's office. He was the natural successor to Lorlen and had taken on the mantle of administrator with a determined organisation which was needed after the invasion. He spoke now to his colleagues who seemed to be in endless discussions over the last few days. The faces before him looked tired and drawn, bewildered even, by the need to discuss matters previously not contemplated.<p>

"As you know, I'm sure, the King requested that the Guild reinstate Akkarin as high lord. I, and others," he glanced at Balkan, "thought that some of the Guild and , certainly the Houses, would find it difficult to accept a Black Magician as high lord. As it turns out the request was academic – Akkarin has made it clear to me that he does not wish to be considered for the position." He paused. "In fact, he has suggested that Lord Balkan be considered and I agree; of course, it will go to the vote."

Balkan looked up sharply in surprise.

"Oh, close your mouth Balkan," Vinara said kindly. "You are our strongest warrior, apart from Akkarin, and all have looked to you for guidance these past days."

Osen continued. "The other positions, we have previously discussed, and I propose the vote go ahead in one weeks time." Some of the magicians looked at each other and there was a murmuring.

"I agree with Lord Osen," Lord Garrel interjected. "We need to be decisive and create a sense of stability. One week is sufficient for the remaining Guild members to consider the options."

_Yes, _Rothen thought from where he sat across the room, _you think you are a strong candidate for Head of Warriors, and the sooner it goes to the vote the sooner you think you will gain some power._ Rothen's eyes narrowed at the warrior; he could still not forgive Garrel for his role in encouraging Regin in his bullying of Sonea that first year.

"That brings us, yet again, to the question of the Black Magicians. What should we do about them?" Balkan said and sighed. "I think it unreasonable to expect Sonea, if she recovers, and Akkarin, to remain in the Guild grounds for the rest of their lives. They are both young, particularly Sonea."

"The city then," Vinara said. "Restrict their movements to the city boundaries." She paused. "With an escort maybe, so that we can reassure anyone who doubts their trustworthiness, that they will not draw on the potential power of the people of Imardin."

"That is maybe a workable solution, if they agree to it; along with the restrictions we discussed on their teaching ." Balkan pursed his lips in an expression of satisfied resolve.

Director Jerrick, scowling as usual, steepled his fingers thoughtfully. "Surely it is not appropriate that Sonea return to lessons – a fully fledged Black Magician sitting with novices as if she were their peer."

Rothen considered Jerrick. He couldn't decide if Jerrick meant this last comment as a slight to Sonea, or as a sign that she be shown greater respect given recent events. He cleared his throat in annoyance.

"Confinement, restrictions; this all sounds too much like punishment to me, and I fear it will be perceived as such. Akkarin and Sonea are not guard dogs to be kept on a leash for our convenience; to be at our beck and call in case the thief comes to the door again." Rothen was angry now, and his voice rose.

"Yes, they broke Guild Law, but if they had not, there would _be_ no Guild. Which of us can say we would have the courage to do as they did? To be outcasts, only to return to save the very people who had judged you and would be rid of you! Yes, they must accept their new role as protectors of the Guild, and some checks must be put in place, but surely _we_ must acknowledge what they did for us all, " he paused, "what they risked and endured for us." Rothen's eyes burned as he spoke and some of the people present nodded in contrition.

Lord Telano, Head of Healing Studies, spoke. "What if we give them, Sonea in particular, a further purpose, and at the same time demonstrate our trust in them."

"What do you have in mind?" Osen asked, his eyebrows raised enquiringly.

"To make them responsible for the running of the new Healing Quarter in the Outer Circle. I know Sonea showed a particular interest in this discipline, and has an obvious motive in helping her one time co-habitants."

"That would suit Sonea very well, but what of Akkarin? I remember a powerful, ambitious and aloof young magician who, only a few years ago, would have had only disdain for such an idea." Vinara said.

"I think that you may find that our former high lord is done with ambition." Osen said quietly. "As for aloofness, it seems that the girl from the slums has achieved what numerous young ladies from the Houses could not; she has broken Akkarin's reserve. I think he will be happy to support Sonea in such a project, if she recovers of course. Thankyou Telano, an excellent idea." He nodded at the other magician who smiled.

As the magicians filed out of the room some time later, Vinara fell into step beside Rothen. She took in his pinched face and his eyes which still held a glint of anger.

"Don't feel bitter at their pragmatism Rothen. They are very aware of the debt they owe to both Sonea and Akkarin. They – we- are all just anxious to gain a sense of normality. There will be time for gratitude later."

Rothen's face was unreadable. Vinara sighed and continued.

"You are returning to the Healing Quarter?" Rothen nodded

"I will walk with you. I have told Akkarin he is strong enough to try to reach Sonea through a mind read today." She grimaced. "How I have restrained him from trying until now I don't know. I think he knew if he was not strong enough and tried and failed to reach her, it might have been a step backwards. If anyone _can_ reach her though , it will be him." Vinara's face looked sad.

"It has been four days. We can sustain her a while longer with water and nourishing liquids, but if she doesn't wake soon...She has suffered greatly because of us – I feel. The bullying of her novice days, the contempt of Guild members and the Houses. To be held hostage and live in constant fear, then the burden of truth and knowledge, only to not be believed and sent away."

"She chose to go with Akkarin, we gave her the chance to stay."

Vinara looked sharply at Rothen. It was her turn to now feel anger. "Only to be called a liar, or a fool and accused of practising evil. She showed a bravery most grown men would not in leaving, and a greater bravery in returning. And to be snared by Kariko." Vinara spat the name in revulsion. "We are cosseted here at the guild. I have never seen such injuries to a woman before, and never wish to again; and the innocent life inside her lost also. I feel remorse at his treatment, but I confess I am surprised at Akkarin abusing his position in that way." Vinara's mouth tightened in a line of disapproval.

"The shame of us all; Sonea has been used badly. I'm sorry Rothen," she glanced at him, "I do not include you in that. Forgive me my rant, it was unthoughtful."

"No, do not apologise. I am relieved to find someone else who feels as strongly as I, apart from Dorrien of course." Rothen smiled. "But do not judge Akkarin too harshly." Rothen's smile became one of self-deprecation. "Although I was guilty of that only too recently. Nothing happened between them until Sachaka and Sonea knows her own mind. Their love is not shameful, or transitory." Rothen said.

The Healer raised her eyebrows. "You seem very certain, have you spoken with him about this?"

"He came to my rooms last night. He will not deny his feelings for Sonea, " Rothen took a breath, "whether she recovers or not. He risks much by being open about this, not least with his own family."

They walked out of the University, across the desolate gardens, and towards the Healing Quarter. Vinara suddenly gave a short laugh.

"Black Magician Sonea, of Family Delvon, House Velan. How times have changed."

* * *

><p>Akkarin sat on the chair that he had barely left since he awoke from his exhaustion three days ago. His thumb stroked the small cold hand that lay in his. He took in the slightly rough skin and chewed finger nails and the purpling bruise across the back of the hand. He quickly brought the fingers to his lips and kissed them gently.<p>

"Sonea," he whispered, "I will make this right; I will make it up to you, I promise. Please come back to me."

Her face was white, traced with the faded red lines of healing cuts and grazes. The only sign of life was the slight rise and fall of her chest below the sheet. Akkarin's hand moved to her brow, tracing lightly across the skin. The touch caused his memory to reel backwards to the first time he had knowingly touched Sonea.

_In Rothen's rooms , when I performed the truth read. _He thought.

"I am so sorry; forgive me, for everything. I could see no other way."

Akkarin felt as though something were constricting his lungs and throat. Memories swamped him now, unbidden.

Sonea's sulky and fearful indignation when he had first taken her as his novice. The look of unadulterated pleasure on her face when she had tasted Takan's food. The determination and pride she had shown in trying to outwit, and then endure Regin's torments. Her resourcefulness in finding and exploring the passages under the University. The way she held her books to her chest as if they were the most precious things she owned. Her fiery spirit in persuading him to teach her Black Magic.

Akkarin had been shocked at the feelings Sonea had awoken in him. When he realised why his gaze was always drawn to her. The irony of her unquestioning loyalty when faced with exile, contrasted with the hostility he had met from those who had purported to be his friends of a lifetimes standing, had been sobering, and Akkarin loved Sonea all the more for it.

"It is time, Akkarin." A voice behind him made him start. He turned to see Vinara and Rothen entering the room.

"I only hope this works," Vinara continued. "We are running out of options. Are you sure you are strong enough?"

Akkarin didn't trust his voice so he inclined his head and, turning, he placed his palms on Sonea's temples. He closed his eyes and inhaled a breath.

Akkarin slid past the outer barriers of Sonea's mind that had thwarted the Healers, until he found her consciousness on a plane almost devoid of colour. Pale, translucent mists coruscated around him, shimmering like veils before him. As he drew one away, another moved to obscure his sight. The image of his physical form in her mind spun around and around, seeking to make contact with her consciousness.

Then,as if from a great distance he heard a young child's voice singing. He moved towards the sound. The mists shifted before him and he glanced a small figure sat on a floor of nothingness. She played with stones in a game Akkarin recalled seeing the children of the Slums playing on his visits to Cery. He drew nearer slowly and deliberately. When he stood two paces away, the girl looked up at him , as if noticing him for the first time. The song was a lament that spoke of loss and pain and loneliness, incongruously sang in her childish voice. Akkarin thought it would pierce his heart. Abruptly it stopped.

Large dark eyes in a pale face , framed with black hair, stared at him. As she smiled, the curve of her lips was achingly familiar.

"Sonea?" He asked softly.

"Yes that is my name. My Pa gave it to me, but he went away. My Ma died." The girl said with the directness of a child.

"Do you have a family? Do you have a name?" She asked, but looked away and continued methodically with her game.

Akkarin crouched down until he was at her eye level. "My name is Akkarin," he said looking at her steadily.

Her small hands paused in their movement for a moment before continuing with the game.

"I have a family, though I don't see them often. I did think to have a family of my own one day but..."he said.

"A family? A wife?" The girl that was the image of Sonea's consciousness looked up sharply. "Before he left, my Pa said they were not worth the trouble. I might marry a boy when I'm grown, but he'll have to cook; I can't cook - I burn everything." She smiled again.

"My Aunt says a girl as stubborn as me must have a talent, I just haven't found it yet. Some say I look like my Ma, she was beautiful." The girl's expression became wistful. "Maybe I'll grow pretty and some boy will notice, and won't care that I have nothing else."

Akkarin's mouth curled in a sad smile. "Oh yes, you will grow pretty, and more than one boy will notice, but you will have so much more to offer Sonea."

As he spoke he reached out a hand to tuck a tendril of hair behind her ear, but she recoiled at the touch. She looked away and shrugged.

"Maybe I'll just wait here. Cery and Harrin will be here soon; they promised I could go with them. I wish they hadn't told me to meet them here though." She glanced fearfully over her shoulder. Akkarin followed her gaze but saw nothing but the swirling mists.

"Don't you like it here? Why don't you come with me? I will help you find a better place." He held out his hand. She ignored it and looked behind her again, her fingers moved quickly in agitation. Akkarin still saw nothing.

"What is it Sonea; what do you see?"

She met his gaze and her eyes widened in terror. Suddenly an image of a huge black, rough hewn wooden door, slammed into his senses. It was barred with many bolts and locks. His mind reeled as an unbearable pressure crushed down on him and he was almost pushed from her mind. He quickly caught the image of the door and held onto it. As he regained control of his senses, he found himself on the plane of swirling mists again. The ugly black door was the only object on the shimmering landscape. As he looked, the door almost seemed to pulse with a dark aura, as if it were a thing alive.

The child that was Sonea was curled before the door, her eyes tight shut. A great chasm had opened up between her and Akkarin. A screaming wind suddenly manifested itself through the vista. The translucent floor beneath Akkarin's feet bucked and heaved, and his hair snatched and whipped about a face in which every bone was etched to razor sharpness.

Akkarin felt Sonea's consciousness slipping from him again as an irresistible pressure pulled at him.

"SONEA!" He yelled above the roaring gale. "Please Sonea! I will help you. PLEASE!" Akkarin implored, reaching out his long fingers towards her.

The young Sonea opened her eyes, her face twisted as she looked up at him.

"He said you would hate me now... that you will blame me...that I could have stopped him. " Her voice croaked in a whisper and yet reverberated in his head.

"I couldn't stop him..."

The distance between them seemed to yawn before him. Akkarin was desperate , knowing that if he lost her now it would be forever, she would not find her way back.

"I know what is behind the door Sonea - I saw , I was there, I was with you. I am the one who is to blame; I shouldn't have left you. I don't hate you Sonea, I love you. We can face this together. Please..."

Akkarin's hand shook as it strained towards her across the gulf. Her face stared momentarily, an indistinct oval in which only her eyes looked smudged and dark. Suddenly her face blurred and changed into the face of the Sonea he knew. In an instant the unbearable distance between them was gone, and she stood next to him, her small hand clinging to his with the desperate hunger of a frightened child. The door loomed before them and they walked slowly towards it together.

Rothen and Vinara exhaled the breath they had been holding, Vinara unknowingly clutching Rothen's arm. They watched as Sonea's eyes flew open. Her hand reached up towards Akkarin's face, tangling in the raven's wing shadow of his hair. Their dark eyes met; hers filled with fear and sadness; his filled with both relief and a world of pain. He clasped Sonea's hand tightly, and his voice was more gentle than Rothen would have believed possible of the former high lord.

"You are safe now Sonea. I will look after you, I promise – always..."

Pent emotions broke her self control like a tidal wave and the tears came hot and fast. She covered her face awkwardly with her injured free hand. Akkarin felt his heart twist inside him and his arms enveloped her, pulling her tightly to him, his face buried in her hair. The tears he had been refusing to shed finally unleashed and mingled with hers as he cradled and rocked her as if to soothe a small child.

Tears slid down Rothen's face as he and Vinara retreated from the room and closed the door silently on them - the low born slum girl and the high born nobleman; the two Black Magicians who had saved their land, had lost so much, but somehow had managed to find each other.

**A/N. A change of pace for this chapter, but necessary I think. I hope you like it, I'm abit nervous of this one. One more chapter after this and I'm done! Thanks to those who have reviewed, it's greatly appreciated! More reviews are very welcome.**


	5. Epilogue

**Epilogue... But there are _some happy_ endings.**

Sun glinted off the new green of the sapling trees and shrubs that had been planted in the gardens in the year since the Ichani invasion. Rothen inhaled a deep breath and closed his eyes as he sat on a seat beneath a hedge that had survived.

_One year exactly since Kariko was defeated, and more has changed in that time than in all the years of my life before. The Guild has, not one, but two Black Magicians. Many new gravestones now sit in the old cemetery, the Purge has ended, and I have reached the dizzying heights of the Higher Magicians._

He chuckled to himself as he rested his head on the ironwork of the seat.

_I have considerably more grey hair than a year ago as well._ He caught the sight of the newly established white robes of the High Lord in the distance, heading towards the University.

_Ahh, but I am not the only one to gain that distinguishing feature. Poor Balkan. He has proved himself worthy of the position of High Lord, but I do not envy him the honour at a time when the Guild must be brought from the ashes._

Rothen sighed and contemplated the shadow Balkan lived under, and not just that of the Ichani attack. Many still treated Akkarin with the awe and reverence of a High Lord. His composed aura seemed to fill a room when he entered it; his magnetism only heightened by his new found position in the Guild of Black Magician – it's last line of defence. For himself, Akkarin seemed amused by this, and Rothen found himself wandering if the younger magician played on his even greater ability to instil fear. Often, after a magician had slunk away following a sharply intelligent remark from Akkarin, Rothen had witnessed the familiar half smile pull at his lips. His gaunt face only truly softened though, when he looked at Sonea, and he was never far from her side.

Akkarin had supported her work in the new Healing Quarter with a quiet purpose that had surprised many, not least his own family. Only a sister from Akkarin's family had risked rebuke,and had attended the quiet marriage ceremony that had taken place in the Guildhall between the two Black Magicians. Whilst behind closed doors, some scorned at the match between a noble from one of the most powerful Houses, and a girl from the Slums, the only people who were openly disdainful were the Delvon family. Akkarin's anger at his mother and fathers' refusal to even meet with Sonea had been so great that everyone, even Takan, had avoided him for several days. His dark brooding mood was finally assuaged by Sonea's insistence that the only approval she cared about was her Aunt, Uncle, and Rothens', and all had given it gladly.

Following their marriage, at Akkarin's request, the Guild and the King had given consent for the Black Magicians to travel a short distance down the coast, albeit with an escort who, for their part, kept a very discreet distance. They stayed in a remote beachside residence of a fellow magician and, as Akkarin and Sonea felt the sand beneath their feet, the wind in their faces and the sea roaring in their ears, their hearts soared and they felt free.

It had taken many weeks for Sonea to physically recover from her injuries at the hands of Kariko. Her Aunt and Uncle had been found servants positions in the Guild so that they could be near her. But it was Akkarin who had gently coaxed the spark to light again in her dark eyes. A few days after regaining consciousness, Sonea and Akkarin moved into Sonea's old room in Rothen's quarters, until their marriage and the new Black Magician's Residence could be built. Akkarin proved tirelessly attentive, bringing books for Sonea to read, quietly persuading her to take walks in the gardens, employing Takan to produce the most tempting meals imaginable, and, after several weeks, clasping her hand tightly as she entered the Night Room for the first time. She remained withdrawn and solemn long after bones had healed and cuts had mended; wary of any personal contact except that of Akkarin. But as she began her studies again through mainly private tutorials, she began to regain the quiet determination and thirst for knowledge that had so taken the Guild by surprise all those years ago. But it was during her duties at the new Healing Quarter that a smile began to grace her face again, and Akkarin's heart was eased.

If the former High Lord was the hero of the Houses, then Sonea was even more revered by the rest of Imardin. She had risked ridicule and had challenged prejudice by joining the Guild, and then had taken on it's enemy and won, becoming one of the most powerful magicians of the Allied Lands. She was also instrumental in bringing about changes that were to better the lives of many.

A gong rang out across the Guild and startled Rothen out of his reverie. There was a flurry of activity as magicians hurried towards the University.

"I can't be late for this. This is the day that, if some had had their way, would never have come about. Hopefully this will finally silence the voices of disapproval and doubt. Even Dorrien has travelled to be here." He murmured to himself. A wistfully sad smile played across his face. He knew his son still had feelings for Sonea, though Dorrien was glad to hear of her returning happiness and knew that no-one but Akkarin could achieve it. Sonea's feelings for this aloof man, whom she had first hated and feared, then feared and respected, and finally admired and loved, ran deep, and Rothen had come to realise that it was a love that was only matched by Akkarin's for Sonea.

As he strode towards the courtyard entrance of the University, a movement caught Rothen's eye at the far corner of the Magician's Quarter. He turned and saw two black robed figures emerge from a newly built residence that stood on the corner of the Gardens; a smaller mirror image of the High Lord's Residence that stood on the opposite corner. The black robed figures moved down the steps of the building; Sonea and Akkarin. Rothen quickly hurried into the University.

* * *

><p>"Why are you looking at me like that?" Sonea smiled as she looked over her shoulder to see why Akkarin had paused. She caught him staring at her, his lips curled in the half smile she loved so much. His gaze flickered to the sash of her robes.<p>

"Can't I admire my wife before the rest of the Guild leers at her?" He still smiled , but there was an edge to his voice that only she could have heard. But she laughed and the sound filled his soul with joy.

"Leer at me? Most of them are afraid of me. Anyway, you are distracting me. You looked to my waist just now; can you notice already ? I wanted to keep it between just us for a while longer. I don't know if I can bear the fussing that will come."

Sonea's face suddenly grew serious and she reached towards him. He grasped her hand tightly and took a step to stand next to her, slipping an arm around her small waist.

"No, you can't tell yet," Akkarin said looking down into her face. His dark eyes blazed with a love that still shocked Sonea, even now.

"But maybe a little fuss is what you will need. I don't want you to take any risks." His finger gently tilted her face upwards, and he reached out to her with his mind, so that she sensed, as well as heard, the love and protectiveness of his words. They had not known of the first life they had created until it was gone, and yet it had filled them both with a sorrow that only another child could assuage.

"I know today will not be easy for you; it is not just the anniversary of a victory; we do not have to go to the Meet." Akkarin traced a faint silvery line down Sonea's cheek; a cruel reminder of Kariko whenever he looked at her.

"Balkan has called this Meet to remember those who lost their lives a year ago. I was not the only one to suffer. We must go to remember... Lorlen, and the others," she said gently as she placed a hand on her stomach.

Akkarin's black eyes flashed with a sudden pain, but he stooped, curling a hand around the back of her slender neck, long fingers twining in her now long ebony hair. His mouth found hers, and he kissed her deeply, yet tenderly, placing his other hand over hers at her sash.

"I love you, so much Sonea – both of you, always." His voice was tight with emotion. She rested her head on his chest and felt his heart beat thudding beneath her cheek.

"And I love you - always."

Someone cleared their throat behind them.

"I am sorry to spoil the moment, but Takan is quite beside himself about the food for the banquet later; can you spare a minute Sonea?" Jonna stood with her hands on her hips at the door of their residence, a look of consternation on her face. Sonea smiled and gripped Akkarin's arm.

"This is your fault for not playing the generous host more when you were High Lord. Poor Takan is an outstanding cook, but is only used to serving meals for two." Sonea glanced up at her Aunt's face , then back at Akkarin.

"I won't be long; wait for me here. I dare not refuse her – she looks so formidable," Sonea said under her breath, grimacing. Akkarin burst into sudden laughter.

"Let's say that that is a trait that runs in the family!" He said. Sonea swatted at his arm, smiling, as she turned and walked to where her Aunt stood.

* * *

><p>A short time later Akkarin and Sonea strode down the strangely deserted corridor to the Guildhall.<p>

"We can't be that late." Akkarin said. "Where is everyone?" Sonea frowned.

"I have a feeling something is wrong. Takan's concerns about the food seemed strangely rehearsed. If I didn't know better, I would say that he was deliberately trying to delay us."

As they approached the hall, they could see that the doors were closed and that a herald of the King stood before them.

"Stranger and stranger," Akkarin muttered.

When they were only a few paces away, the herald rapped on the doors and they were opened. The two Black Magicians glimpsed the hall beyond and saw that it was full to capacity, every seat was occupied, and several servants and other non-magicians were standing. Before Akkarin and Sonea could enter, the herald turned to face the ancient hall and his voice resounded clearly around it.

"Lord Akkarin, of Family Delvon, House Velan," he paused and a silent tension seemed to fill the air. Akkarin's brow creased and he looked warily at Sonea.

" We honour your loyalty and service to the Magicians Guild of Kyralia, and to the Allied Lands. May these doors never be barred to you again."

Akkarin and Sonea looked at each other in astonishment.

"Lady Sonea, of Family Delvon, House Velan: We honour your loyalty and service to the Magicians Guild of Kyralia, and to the Allied Lands. May these doors never be barred to you again."

They walked slowly forward and their hands met and clasped. As they passed the threshold of the Guildhall, the Magicians present rose to their feet as one; the rustle of silk the only sound to break the silence. Sonea and Akkarin made their way down the middle of the sea of red, purple, green and brown. As they passed, the head of every magician inclined. Sonea looked into the eyes that rose to meet hers from their show of respect. Faces who had become so familiar to her; Dannyl, Dorrien, Lady Tya, Yaldin and even Regin held her gaze steadily with no hint of anything except respect and admiration.

They approached the tiered seats at the front of the hall, and eyes filled with pride and tears met first Akkarin's, and then stared unblinkingly at Sonea's: Rothen. A smile touched Sonea's lips for the man who had become the father she had never had.

Then a piercing green gaze bore down on them from the highest seat. A jewelled hand beckoned to them and they climbed the stairs together. When they reached the High Lord's chair, Balkan inclined his head for a long moment, placing his hand on Akkarin's shoulder. Then a figure stepped down from behind him and it gestured for Akkarin and Sonea to sit in the chairs that had been placed either side of the High Lord's. The King then bowed his head to each of them in turn, his eyes lifting to meet their disbelieving gazes intently. He straightened and addressed the audience below him.

"My Lords and Ladies of the Guild, and others here present, I give you Lord Akkarin and Lady Sonea; last line of defence of our realm – the Black Magicians of Kyralia.

**A/N. Well this is the last chapter. I hope it satisfies! For me personally, these chapters are more like the ending I would have liked for these books, and I have enjoyed writting them. It is the first fictional writting I have done, so please excuse my mistakes and shortcomings! Thanks to those who have reviewed, please let me know what you think of the conclusion. I couldn't help but give poor Sonea and Akkarin a happy ending, I think they deserve it! After all, whilst most endings aren't easy, some _are_ happy. Even if you come to this fan fic some time after publishing please, please review as I still appreciate your comments .**


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